Host a Drive this Holiday Season

Mon, 11/26/2012

The holidays are tough for the homeless youth we serve, whether they’re all of 24 years old or as young as 12. YouthCare tries to make the season a little brighter for them by preparing home cooked meals, decorating for the holidays, and fulfilling a few holiday wishes. We rely entirely on community support to provide these holiday extras. One of the best ways you can help is organizing a holiday gift donation drive.

In addition to collecting needed holiday gifts, hosting a drive is one of the best ways to raise awareness in the community of the challenges facing its homeless youth. Your business, organization, school, church, or other community group can make a big difference by hosting a drive and spreading the word, thus helping us to meet present needs and attract broader support.

Here are the items we most need this holiday season:

Gift cards (Ross, Target, Fred Meyer, etc)

New shoes and socks

New jeans and work pants

Headphones/earbuds

Hooded sweatshirts

Twin sheet sets and towels

Make-up and nail polish

African-American hair care products

Hosting a drive doesn’t have to be hard – check out these simple tips from our How to Host a Drive page:

1. Get Organized - Determine which items you are collecting, how long the drive will last, who you would like to ask to donate, and where they can drop off their donations.

2. Spread the Word - Most people want to help: they just need to be asked. Send emails, use postcards or flyers, or post to Facebook and other social media to publicize the drive. Remind group members at meetings and gatherings, or host a holiday party and ask guests to bring items. YouthCare can help with drafting language and by providing brochures, postcards, and customized flyers – email us at donations@youthcare.org to find out more.

3. Make it Easy to Donate - Have a central location for people to drop off their items. For office or school drives, make sure you have collection boxes in several locations. You can also collect items during a holiday party or office gathering. Monetary donations, including gift cards, are also welcome; in many cases, they're the best option for youth finding what they need and getting the right fit.

4. Deliver Your Donations to YouthCare - You can bring your donation to YouthCare’s administrative offices during business hours Monday–Friday, 9:00am–5:00pm. YouthCare is located at 2500 NE 54th St, Seattle, WA 98105. In-kind donation receipts will be issued to you for your tax purposes.

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